World War II Honoree

John Van Kuren Newkirk

Hometown

Scarsdale, New York

Honored By

A Grateful American

AMERICAN CITIZEN WHO SERVED AS A PILOT AND SQUADRON LEADER IN THE 1ST AMERICAN VOLUNTEER GROUP (FLYING TIGERS) FOR THE REPUBLIC OF CHINA AIR FORCE. CREDITED WITH THE DESTRUCTION OF 7 ENEMY AIRCRAFT DURING THE BURMA CAMPAIGN AND DESIGNATED AN AIR COMBAT FIGHTER ACE. KILLED IN ACTION AT THE AGE OF 27 WHILE SERVING WITH THE 'PANDA BEARS' 2ND PURSUIT SQUADRON, AMERICAN VOLUNTEER GROUP WHEN HIS BATTLE DAMAGED CURTISS P-40B WARHAWK (P-8196/34) CRASHED AT LAMPHUN, THAILAND DURING A RAID ON JAPANESE FORCES AT THE CHIANG MAI AIRFIELD ON MARCH 24, 1942. POSTHUMOUSLY AWARDED DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS AND BRITISH DISTINGUISHED SERVICE ORDER. BURIED AT ST. JAMES THE LESS EPISCOPAL CHURCH CEMETERY, SCARSDALE, NEW YORK. COMMEMORATED ON THE AMERICAN VOLUNTEER GROUP MEMORIAL, CHIANG MAI FOREIGN CEMETERY, CHIANG MAI, THAILAND.